DUBAI // Qatar's Nasser al Attiyah is hoping to eclipse his compatriot Misfer Al Marri and wrap up a sixth regional crown in this weekend's 25th Dubai International Rally - the season-ending round of the Middle East Rally Championship [MERC]. "This round is crucial for me as this is the last round in the calendar," said al Attiyah, who has also represented his country in skeet shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "The outcome will not just decide who walks away with the Dubai prize, but also the overall championship title."
Despite entering only four of the season's six rounds, al Attiyah has won them all. He leads the MERC standings on 40 points, three ahead of al Marri, while the Saudi driver Yazeed al Rajhi, who has amassed 32 points in four rallies, is also in contention. Nine stages, covering 265.7 competitive kilometres, will decide the destiny of this season's title, with the field tackling five stages tomorrow and four on Saturday. And rally organisers believe it is the perfect route to determine a worthy champion.
"The Dubai International Rally has decided the MERC champion many times over the years," said Mohammed ben Sulayem, the president of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE and 14-time regional rally champion. "This year in particular, the championship is still very wide open between the top two contenders, al Attiyah and al Marri, with al Rajhi waiting in the wings for either to make a mistake."
Amid the tight title picture, al Attiyah remains the clear favourite. The Qatari is chasing a fifth consecutive Dubai win and only UAE driver Sheikh Khalid al Qassimi's 2004 MERC triumph has interrupted his regional dominance in recent years. But with the BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver not among the Dubai entrants after a demanding World Rally Championship season, only al Marri and al Rajhi can stop al Attiyah making it six championships out of seven.
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Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
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Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
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Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
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- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
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The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
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In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
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